News
Divers Complete A Photographic & 3D Photogrammetry Survey of HMS Hampshire
A specialist diving team from the UK and Finland has completed a detailed photographic and 3D imaging survey of the shipwreck HMS Hampshire.
The 10,850-ton armoured cruiser HMS Hampshire departed Scapa Flow in Orkney on 5 June 1916 on a voyage around the north cape of Norway to the port of Archangel in northern Russia. She was carrying Lord Kitchener and his staff to Russia to discuss mutual war aims and strategy. As she struggled up the west coast of Orkney in a severe gale, approximately one and a half miles off Marwick Head she struck a mine laid by the German Submarine U-75 a week before on 29 May and quickly sank. Of the 749 people aboard, only 12 managed to reach the shore alive; Lord Kitchener and his staff were lost.
Today HMS Hampshire lies at a depth of approximately 70m (230ft) near the North West tip of Orkney in an exposed area open to North Atlantic storms and strong tidal flows. Despite the challenges, over a two-week period that poignantly covered the 100th anniversary commemorations of her sinking, the team undertook over 200 hours of diving.
Expedition Leader Rod Macdonald, an internationally renowned diving author and Director of Wreck-X (Shipwreck Explorers) explains:
“The story of HMS Hampshire is of historical importance and her loss forms an important element of the WWI naval story. In recognition of this, the prestigious Explorers Club awarded the expedition Explorers Club flag No 192. All major explorations since early 1900’s have carried with them an Explorers Club flag, including expeditions to the Poles, Everest and the Moon. Flag No 192 was carried on 22 previous expeditions to Polar Regions, the Himalayas and has crossed the Atlantic twice by hot air balloon.
HMS Hampshire is a controlled wreck under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 and no diving is permitted. To enable the survey to be undertaken, the UK Ministry of Defence granted the expedition a special licence. Diving was conducted from the new purpose built dive vessel MV Huskyan, based in Stromness, Orkney. For the first time a 3D photogrammetry survey of a shipwreck of this size has been attempted and the preliminary results are impressive with new information coming to light on her sinking and subsequent decay. This information will now be used to compile a detailed written and visual survey report, which will be made available to the UK Ministry of Defence, local Orkney museums and Historic Scotland.
As we commemorate WWI and in particular the 100 year anniversary of her sinking, we hope that this survey data will add to our knowledge of this historic warship and help maintain the memory of HMS Hampshire and the sacrifice made by her crew.”
Photos: Marjo Tynkkynen
Today we are diving one of the outer reefs from an inflatable. As we reach the bottom, a reef octopus eases its way into the cover of a small crack in the coral while displaying it’s incredible ability to change colour. They are arguably one of the most charismatic of reef dwellers and it is always exciting for me to simply hover and watch. I would have spent longer and waited for it to come and investigate me, but as dive time is limited we wanted to move on and find a turtle.
The waters around Somabay are well protected and hold a rich variety of marine life. The reef edges are thriving colonies of coral and shoaling fish, while nearer the sea bed plenty of wildlife is still to be found.
Then we located the turtles. They are very used to divers and so show little concern when slowly approached. In fact occasionally one will come over to see what you are doing. There is always huge excitement when diving with a turtle. The shear thrill of sharing a moment with another species.
What a fantastic way to finish a wonderful few days diving and I would like to thank SOMABAY, ORCA DIVING and THE BREAKERS for making my stay such a good one.
I had a great time, with diving everyday either on the house reef or on one of the offshore reefs by inflatable or larger day boat. Orca diving provided high quality equipment and facilities while the staff were all very friendly and welcoming. The Breakers was right on the coast with nice rooms, good food and once again friendly staff making the whole trip a real pleasure.
Soma Bay covers an entire peninsula and is home to several resorts as well as residential compounds.
As well as scuba diving, Somabay caters for many other sports and activities, and so is perfect for families as well as individuals and/or groups. And of course there is always time to lay peacefully on the beach under the Egyptian sun.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
Day three of my trip to Somabay and we were spending the day on the Lady Christina and diving on the wreck of the Salem Express.
Diving wrecks for me is always one of mixed emotions. The excitement of diving a wreck is more than often tempered by the thought of loss of life when she sank. The Salem Express was a passenger ship and a roll-on/roll-off ferry travelling from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt. Most passengers were of poor class travelling home from their holidays while around 150 people were returning home from their pilgrimage to Mecca.
The ship struck a reef and sank within 20 minutes. Passengers were trapped below deck and the ship was filled with fear and panic.
The wreck area is strewn with personal belongings from the crew and passengers such as a transistor radio and a flat iron for clothes. A diver at sometime has put them in a prominent place to be seen.
Tragically only one life boat was launched while the others went down with the ship. More than 600 men, women and children lost their lives here.
It’s a stark reminder that the sea can be unforgiving and so when we dive on such wrecks we should do so with humble regard.
Returning to the surface, shoals of fish are gathered under our boat and seem to be welcoming us back into the light.
Back at the Breakers I sat in the dining area with a beer and a very good meal while my thoughts still remained with the day’s dive on the Salem Express.
Check in for part 3 tomorrow for Jeff’s last day of diving with Somabay on the off-shore reefs looking for turtles.
Book your next Red Sea dive adventure with SOMABAY! For more information, visit www.somabay.com.
Stay at the Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge when you visit! For more information, visit www.thebreakers-somabay.com.
Find out more about ORCA Dive Clubs at SOMABAY at www.orca-diveclubs.com/en/soma-bay-en.
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